The work round which is now defunct allowed Irish folks to acquire driving licences in a matter of days
Tonight Prime Time on RTÉ will discover how Irish residents have been travelling, in an settlement the that’s not in operation.
Final week, Prime Time travelled to a driving faculty in Rustavi, a metropolis close to the Georgian capital Tbilisi, to look into the development. Many Irish folks travelled there after contacting Mika Vincheuski, a Belarusian dwelling in Georgia who facilitates driving classes and arranges take a look at dates for non-Georgians who need to get their licence rapidly.
“It’s a totally authorized course of,” mentioned Ms Vincheuski.
“Folks arrive in Georgia, take classes, go the assessments, and get their licence. We simply assist them navigate the system.”
Georgia’s quick and environment friendly course of for driving assessments has introduced folks to the nation from everywhere in the world, together with some from Eire.
Some corporations provided licenses to Irish folks in roughly 14 days, with candidates finishing a principle take a look at, parking examination and metropolis driving examination for roughly €800.
Presently, the common ready listing in Eire to get a driving take a look at appointment is over 20 weeks. That is after you’ve accomplished a principle take a look at, utilized for a learner’s allow and accomplished 12 classes over the course of a number of months.
Eire can be experiencing a big backlog of driving take a look at purposes with greater than 83,000 candidates ready for a driving take a look at in April.
Prime Time met a variety of Irish individuals who have been in Georgia, who defined why they selected to make the journey. Amongst those that travelled to the nation was Laura, who had handed her bike take a look at and obtained her licence. She plans to change it for the Irish equal inside weeks of returning residence.
“I did the bike one, so it has been successful three days in: principle on the primary day, on the third day then I did my take a look at – handed, licence in hand,” she mentioned.
Prime Time has since realized that this course of has been formally closed. The Georgian Ministry for Inner Affairs has confirmed to Prime Time that new laws was enacted final week, requiring candidates for Georgian driving licences to have resided within the nation for at least 180 days. This transfer successfully halts a workaround more and more utilized by Irish folks going through lengthy delays within the Irish driving take a look at system.
The programme will even function a follow-up to RTÉ Investigates: Inside Eire’s Nursing Houses.
Watch the complete programme on Prime Time tonight June 5, at 9:35pm RTÉ One and RTÉ Participant.
